


Defining Childhood

by BSBLover2538



Category: Backstreet Boys
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-07 03:23:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16400414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BSBLover2538/pseuds/BSBLover2538
Summary: Kevin and AJ McLean-Richardson had been married for five years, and were preparing to expand their family. Read on as they expand their family three different times, with three very different boys, while juggling their jobs, their families, and everything that life throws at them.





	1. Revealing the Past, and Making Decisions

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a multi-chapter story that I am currently writing. This will be different from my others, because Nick, Brian, and Howie will have shades of my own story infused in them. So beyond excited about this story and I can't wait to share it with you. 
> 
> As always I don't own the rights to the boys, and all rights go to them and their management. This work is pure fiction.

Kevin and Alexander (AJ) McLean-Richardson were in the middle of yet another discussion, one that they had had many times before over the last two years. AJ wanted to expand their family through adoption and Kevin felt like they weren’t ready to do so. The couple had been together for nine years, and recently celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary. They had met in college, at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island, and both now had steady jobs as a professor teaching history, and sous chef respectively. After they had graduated college, they settled in the Boston area, where Kevin had gotten a teaching position. Both men worked long hours, but had saved up most of their money, and could afford to take lighter schedules. Kevin had recently received tenure at the college he was employed at, Northeastern University, and had gotten a pay raise, while AJ had risen to sous chef, and could take at least three days off a week.  The two men had also recently moved into a bigger home, one that had five bedrooms. AJ used all of this in his argument with Kevin. They had the money, the space, and the time to start the adoption process. Kevin was still hesitant. The thought of adoption brought back too many memories from his childhood, ones he would rather forget. 

Kevin had been seven years old when his mother and father first told him that he might get to be a big brother. The little boy was so excited, and asked when the baby was coming. Ann told her son that a nice lady had to choose them to give her baby to. As the months went by, Ann and Jerald had been passed by several times, and finally a young girl had picked them to give her child to. The two of them had made plans to be there for the birth, and had decorated a nursery for the baby, who they learned was a girl. As the girl’s due date neared, Ann was beside herself with excitement. Kevin couldn’t wait to have a little sister. Ann and Jerald received a call in the middle of the night that the birth mother had gone to the hospital. They brought Kevin to his aunt’s house, and made their way to the next state, to be with the birth mother. Three days later, they came home empty-handed. The birth mother had decided to not place her daughter up for adoption. This happened three more times over the next five years, and Kevin watched the grief and turmoil on his parent’s faces each time. They had decided after the fourth time, they couldn’t take the heartache anymore, and no longer pursued adoption. Kevin had told himself that he would never be able to adopt from an expecting mother. He had never told AJ about that period of his childhood. Maybe now was the time to tell AJ why he was so hesitant. He brought himself out of his thoughts, and told AJ he had a story to tell him. AJ stopped what he was doing, and Kevin brought up that painful time in his life. Kevin watched AJ’s face as he realized what Kevin and his family had gone through. 

AJ McLean-Richardson was currently feeling like that worst husband in the world. He had been bothering his husband about adopting a child, and didn’t know that he was forcing his husband to relieve one of the most painful parts of his childhood. He started apologizing to Kevin, who put his hand up and told him that he didn’t know, so there was nothing to forgive. He moved over to snuggle his husband, and curled up against his side, as Kevin started running his hand through AJ’s hair. AJ asked Kevin if he wanted to expand their family. The man in question admitted that he did, but he wanted to adopt a child that was already born, maybe one that had been in foster care for a while, or had special needs. AJ’s eyes widened, he had never thought about that. After thinking for a moment, he realized that they could go that route. AJ had been around special needs kids all his life, having grown up across the street from two severely autistic boys, and had volunteered in the special Olympics baseball league in his hometown every year during high school. He had seen everything from down syndrome, deafness, and cardiac issues to children with muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. Kevin watched his husband, and knew that they would be adopting children who may have issues, or had a rough start to life. The couple decided to shelve the conversation for the night, and settled down to watch a movie together. 

A few weeks later, Kevin and AJ had spoken more about adopting, and had made some phone calls to various social workers and adoption agencies. They had settled on adopting a child with special needs, and were open to any and all needs. Gender or race did not matter to either man, they just wanted a child to love. After looking at all the options for agencies and social workers, they decided to go with a local agency that had had many successful adoptions, most of them for special needs children. The social worker they had met with, Leigh, was a kind and warm woman, who had reassured both men that they would be able to find the perfect child for them. Kevin and AJ were excited to start the process, but didn’t realize how much needed to be done, or how long it would take. Leigh told them that after they completed the initial paperwork, which was the biggest chunk, they could look at the profiles of children that were available to be adopted. Leigh passed a three-inch chunk of paperwork to the two men, and said that half was for each of them to fill out. The questions were numerous, and very invasive. Leigh also told them they had to go for medical check-ups and get background checks done. AJ and Kevin knew they would be making trips home to get answers from their parents for some of the questions. Leigh mentioned that there was no timetable for them to get the paperwork done, but things would go smoother if they got it done sooner rather than later. The two men promised to get it done as quickly as they could, and thanked Leigh for her time. The two men left the agency with smiles on their faces, and a new spring in their step.

That night, they began the paperwork, while making plans to visit their families in the next couple of days. Luckily for both men, their families were both located in the same state, New Jersey, only an hour apart.  Kevin’s family lived in Monroe, New Jersey, while AJ’s family lived in Brick. They planned to leave Friday afternoon, after Kevin’s last class, and spend Friday night and most of Saturday with Kevin’s family. Late Saturday afternoon, they would drive to Brick, and spend the rest of the night and most of Sunday with AJ’s family, before making their way back home Sunday night, so Kevin could teach his 11AM Monday class, and AJ could get back to the restaurant for Monday afternoon. The two men packed their suitcases on Thursday night, and AJ went in for an early morning shift, while Kevin taught his two classes that he had on Fridays. AJ finished earlier than he thought, and met Kevin at NU, with their suitcases, so they could just leave straight from the college. They would be surprising their families with their intent to adopt, and to get their parents’ help with the paperwork, which Kevin had safely packed in his suitcase.  Kevin was apprehensive about how his parents would react to the news that he and AJ were pursuing adoption. He hoped that they would take it well, and support his and AJ’s intent to adopt. 

The two men soon found themselves on the road home. They hadn’t seen their families for about six months, and hadn’t told them they were coming. Three hours later, Kevin and AJ pulled into Kevin’s family home, and saw that Kevin’s parents were both home. They knocked on the door and waited. Ann opened the door, and was elated to see her son and son-in-law standing there. She beckoned them in, giving them hugs as they entered the home, and called for Jerald. Jerald came from the back of the house, and soon engulfed both Kevin and AJ in a large hug. The four engaged in small talk, before Ann asked Kevin what they were doing home. Kevin told his parents that he had an announcement to make. Both Ann and Jerald turned their attention to their only son and his husband, and listened as Kevin told them that he and AJ had started the adoption process for a child. Ann’s breath caught in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes, as the emotions of twenty years earlier surfaced again. She looked at Jerald, and saw the same reaction in his face. She looked at her son and shook her head. Ann told Kevin that she couldn’t agree with this, she couldn’t watch her son go through the same heartache she did. Kevin tried to tell her that they weren’t adopting a newborn, but the past had jaded Ann too much. She couldn’t accept that an adoption could work out, and that AJ and Kevin could have a child in the end. Kevin asked his father what he thought, and Jerald stated that he agreed with Ann. Kevin stood up and told his parents that while he understood their point of view, the fact that they wouldn’t even try to support their son, left a bitter taste in his mouth. He told them that when they were ready to listen, he would explain everything, but until then, he didn’t want to be around them. He now knew that he would have to complete the rest of his side of the paperwork himself.

 Kevin and AJ soon found themselves on the road again to AJ’s home a day earlier than expected. They arrived an hour later, and it seemed that only Denise, AJ’s mother was home. They again knocked on the door, and Denise answered and immediately pulled her son into a hug. She ushered both of them into the home, hugging Kevin along the way, and AJ’s sister, Mel, ran down the stairs to hug her big brother.  AJ was surprised to see his sister home. Mel was a senior at Georgian Court University, majoring in Education. She commuted to her classes every day, and also worked as a barista at the local Starbucks. He asked his mother when his father, Robert, would be home. Denise told him that he should be home any minute now. Five minutes later, Robert walked in his home to see his son and son-in-law standing around the kitchen catching up with his wife and daughter. He put his finger to his lips, and snuck up on AJ, and caught him by surprise with a hug. AJ turned in his father’s arms, and gave him an affectionate hug. Robert moved onto Kevin, and gave him a firm handshake. He quickly hugged and kissed Mel, and Denise before turning back to Kevin and AJ. He asked what they were doing home. AJ looked at his parents and told them that he and Kevin had an announcement. He took Kevin’s hand and announced that he and Kevin had started the adoption process. Denise broke out into a huge smile and ran around the kitchen island to hug her son and son-in-law. Mel was in shock, and quickly came out of her stupor, to congratulate her brothers. Robert smiled and nodded his head, feeling very happy. The celebration lasted a few minutes, before the questions began. Kevin and AJ answered them patiently, and soon Denise asked Kevin how his parents reacted. Kevin got a dark look on his face, and AJ shook his head at his parents. They got the message, and left that alone. AJ asked his parents if they could help him with his side of the paperwork, since there were questions, he didn’t have the answers to. Denise and Robert were more than happy to help, and Kevin grabbed the paperwork. While the three of them were working on AJ’s side, Kevin was struggling to answer his side of the paperwork. He answered the questions the best he could, but knew he would have to leave some blank, and hoped it would be okay. After an hour, they stopped for the night and had a family movie night, with Mel opting to stay home and spend time with her big brother and his husband.

The weekend passed quickly, AJ soon has his side of the paperwork completed, and the couple said goodbye to Robert, Denise, and Mel, and made their way back to Massachusetts. Kevin hadn’t heard from his parents, and honestly didn’t expect to. They soon got back to their normal routine, and made appointments with their doctor for general check-ups, in which they both got clean bills of health. Both had also passed their background checks, and all that was needed was for Kevin to finish his side of the paperwork. He worked on it each night, and by Friday, it was finally complete. AJ called Leigh and made an appointment for Monday to hand in their paperwork, and take their first look at the children available for adoption. They knew they were in for an adventure, and were ready to take on parenthood, knowing they had each other, and AJ’s family in their corner. Thinking about his parents saddened Kevin, but he was sticking to his guns about his decision to not approach his parents until they came to him ready to listen to what he had to say. It disappointed him that they would potentially not be there for their grandchild, but that was the result of their decision, and nothing he could control. Sunday night came, and both men were itching for the time to go by quickly. They decided to just have a board game night with some trashy tv, and went to bed early, anticipating the next day with nervousness, and full of hope. 


	2. Starting Their Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kevin and AJ begin the adoption process in earnest, and find the perfect little boy to add to their family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well Chapter 2 is here! Gonna start writing Chapter 3 tomorrow, but no timetable for it to come out.....thank you all for the hits on the first chapter, and I can't wait to write and post the rest of this fic!

Kevin and AJ woke up on Monday morning, remarkably content. They had a hearty breakfast, and Kevin passed the time until their appointment grading papers, having had a teacher assistant (TA) teach his 11AM class so that they could attend the appointment. AJ played video games, having taken the dinner shift, which meant he wouldn’t need to be at work until 4PM. Their appointment was set for 11:30, and both men started getting ready to leave by 11AM. They showered together, and AJ dressed in a blue polo with dark blue jeans, while Kevin opted for a green button up, and black jeans. They got in their car and made their way over to the adoption agency, the paperwork safely in AJ’s messenger bag. The two of them arrived five minutes early, and walked into Leigh’s office, seeing her at her desk. She gestured for both men to sit, and asked how they were doing. After making small talk for a few minutes, Leigh asked for the completed paperwork. AJ pulled his messenger bag up, and opened it to grab the file folder that contained the needed papers. He handed the stack over to Leigh, who took it with a smile. She set it on the desk in front of her, and looked through the first few pages, while AJ and Kevin sat nervously waiting to see if they had done what was needed. A few minutes passed, with Leigh looking through the paperwork, before she looked at the two men again. Her face broke into a wide smile, and told Kevin and AJ that they had completed their first hurdle. Both men gave audible sighs of relief. 

Leigh then got serious, and told them that she would file the paperwork today, but it would take time to process. She would be sending them home with profiles of children today, and whenever they had either chosen, or needed to see more profiles, all they had to do was come in, and she would do what she could to help. Leigh told Kevin and AJ that once the paperwork was processed, she would be doing a home inspection before they could meet the child they had chosen, to make sure that they would have the room to care for a child. She also explained that after the home inspection was passed, and the paperwork was approved, Kevin and AJ would become their child’s foster parents for six months, and regular home visits would occur. After six months had passed, the couple could file for adoption, which would take place three months later. Kevin and AJ agreed, understood her unspoken words, and were absolutely fine with those conditions. Leigh got up and grabbed two file boxes, and placed them on her desk. She sat back down and told the two men that the boxes contained the files of fifty children that were in various orphanages, and foster homes in the state. Both men’s eyes widened, and knew that it would take at least a week to go through all the files. They thanked Leigh, and grabbed the boxes to return home. Luckily, Kevin only taught on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, so he would spend the next day looking through files, and pulling ones he thought AJ might be interested in. After getting home, and putting the boxes away, both men left for their jobs, with their minds on the boxes sitting in their living room. 

Kevin got home from work that night, and couldn’t dampen his curiosity about the files contained within the two boxes. He made a quick dinner, and texted AJ if he could look through a couple of files; luckily AJ was on a small break, and told Kevin to go ahead. AJ had asked his manager for the next day off, so the two of them hoped to make a dent in the files, and hopefully find their child. Kevin opened the first box, and looked at the file on top. He saw that it was about a little girl who was blind, and five years old. Kevin decided that they would make three piles to sort the files into: ones he said yes to, maybes, and definitely nots. Kevin knew that AJ would have to go through the files himself, and they would compare lists in the end. He made it through five files before he couldn’t go on due to the emotional overhaul. His heart broke for each of the children, but none of them seemed like “their” child. He put the files away, and got ready for bed. As he laid in bed, snuggling AJ’s pillow, which he always did when AJ worked late, his mind drifted to his parents again. He wondered how different their experience had been compared to the one he and AJ were currently on. Maybe he had been too harsh with them, but he couldn’t go back on his word now. He fell into a light sleep, and woke when he felt AJ roll into bed. AJ told him that it was 2AM and to go back to sleep. He spooned AJ and fell back asleep quickly, as he felt AJ snuggle in. 

The next day began late, with both men waking up after 10AM. They made a quick breakfast, and set the file boxes on the dining room table. They sat on either side, and grabbed a handful of files each. The house got quiet, as both men made their way through the files, going through an emotional roller coaster each time. By the time four hours had passed, they had gotten through one box of files. They had swapped files every so often, and both men had their lists made. Kevin asked AJ to see his list so far, and the couple read the other’s lists. They had five names the same on their yes list, so they pulled those files and put them aside. They discussed their maybe list, and settled on adding three names to the yes list, bringing the total to eight, and pulled the three files to add to the pile. The two men knew they had to take a break, and opted to go out for a few hours, and went to go shopping, and grab dinner at the local mall. 

Over the next few days, they made their way through the second box, and ended up with sixteen files to choose from. The couple sat down and started really going through each of the children’s backstories, and eliminated twelve of them after discussing it. The four they had left, had various disabilities, but both men had been drawn to a little boy named Howard (Howie) Dwaine Dorough. The child was four years old, and had been in the foster care system since he was two, when it was discovered he had hearing loss, and his parents gave him up, because they didn’t want a “defective” son. The little boy had been fitted for hearing aids, which brought him up to a normal level of hearing, but he would have issues when it came to school, and in large crowds. Howie had a 70% loss in his right ear, and a 55% loss in his left ear. Howie was otherwise a very healthy child, and had a sweet disposition. Kevin and AJ discussed Howie’s file, and made the decision that they would like to adopt him. They felt that his special needs were easy to handle for a first adoption. It was also noted in Howie’s file that he knew a little sign language, and was getting better at reading lips, which was seen as a positive that would help him out in life. Kevin and AJ were feeling confident in their decision, and Kevin called Leigh to make an appointment for the following Tuesday. The couple had made the decision to not tell AJ’s family until they knew that they would be fostering Howie. Kevin and AJ decided to visit some college friends for the weekend, and enjoyed the time catching up. Monday passed as usual, and the couple was excited to tell Leigh that they had chosen their child. 

Tuesday morning dawned early, Kevin and AJ had made a 9AM appointment with Leigh, since AJ had the lunch shift, which meant he had to be work for 11AM. The couple ate, showered together again, and made their way to the familiar office. They waited for a few minutes before Leigh called them back to her office. She again asked them to sit, and made small talk. The men had brought the file boxes back with them and handed them to Leigh. AJ then pulled out Howie’s file and handed it to Leigh. As Leigh opened it, and realized who they had picked, a soft smile graced her face. She told the men that Howie was special, and had captivated all of their hearts. Kevin and AJ shared a smile, and asked when Leigh would be over to do the home inspection, and when they could meet Howie. Leigh told them she could come Wednesday, and they could meet Howie on Thursday. Both men’s entire demeanor changed. They were so ecstatic that they would be meeting their son in two days. They weren’t worried about the inspection, because they knew they would pass it. AJ and Kevin left the office, after making a meeting with Leigh at their home for the next day at noon. AJ left for work, while Kevin spent his time grading papers, and rereading Howie’s file, which Leigh had given them their own copy of. Kevin called his TA and asked that she teach his 11AM class on Wednesday, and she agreed, having known that Kevin and his husband were in the middle of the adoption process. Kevin also looked on the computer to teach himself, and AJ basic signs, so that they could communicate with Howie on his level, if he felt too shy to speak to them. Kevin quickly learned to sign his name, AJ’s, and basic needs signs that would be helpful for all three of them. When AJ got home, he taught him, and both men quickly picked up on a few other signs that they felt they would need. The men made dinner, and went to bed early, so they could do last minute cleaning in the morning before Leigh came over. 

The next morning passed quickly, and it was now 11:45AM, and Kevin was extremely nervous. AJ tried to calm his husband down, and finally got him to settle with a searing kiss. Kevin shook his head, took a breath, and calmed down. They heard the doorbell ring, and opened the door to invite Leigh in. Two hours later, they had passed their home inspection. Leigh was very impressed, and told them that this would be the perfect home for Howie. She told them that their paperwork was still in process, and could take another two weeks, before Howie could come live with them. This was perfect timing for the two men, so that they could get to know Howie, and decorate his room with what he loved. Kevin only had three weeks of teaching left, before he was off for the summer, and AJ had about a month of vacation saved up, so he would take the time after Howie got home, to stay with him while Kevin finished his last week of teaching.  Kevin left to teach his second class, and AJ decided to do some baking to pass the time, and made dinner for he and Kevin. They decided to watch a movie, while keeping themselves calm at the thought of meeting Howie the next day. The couple went to sleep spooning each other, after showing each other how much they loved each other. 

AJ woke up the next day, very excited to meet their son that day. He woke Kevin, and after showering together, the two went out for breakfast, and went grocery shopping to stock their kitchen up. They planned to meet Howie at Leigh’s office at 1PM, and it was now noon. They quickly changed clothes, and grabbed a quick lunch. They traveled the familiar route to Leigh’s office, butterflies the size of eagles in their stomach. The duo met Leigh, who told them that Howie was in the playroom that her office had, for these kinds of meetings. She asked the men if they wanted to meet Howie. Kevin and AJ’s breaths caught in their throat and they nodded their heads. She led them to the door of the playroom, and Kevin and AJ got the first glimpse of their son. Howie was dressed in a blue t-shirt and dark jeans that complimented his tanned skin. He had dark brown hair, and brown eyes. Both men could see his hearing aids in his ears. They entered the room, and Leigh’s assistant turned Howie towards the two men. Howie shyly waved, and both men waved back. Leigh knelt down and introduced AJ and Kevin to Howie, and Kevin slowly signed their names to him. Howie’s eyes lit up, and he asked in a shaky voice if they signed. AJ told him that they knew enough to communicate with him, but would learn more if that’s how he wanted to communicate. Howie nodded his head for the moment, and told them he spoke, but wanted to retain the knowledge of sign language. Kevin and AJ both agreed with him, and asked Howie if he wanted to play. The three boys sat down and played with some toys while Kevin and AJ got to know their son. Two hours sped by, and Leigh spoke up and told Howie that Kevin and AJ had to go home, but would be back on Saturday to play some more. Howie impulsively gave both men a hug, which melted their hearts. They shared a bittersweet goodbye with promises to see each other in two days. The couple went back with Leigh to her office. Leigh then told them that they could see Howie three times a week, for two hours at a time, until their paperwork was approved, and then they could take Howie home for good. The men agreed, and bid goodbye to Leigh. 

The next two weeks sped by between work, Kevin’s classes having finals, AJ’s hectic work schedule, and visiting Howie. The men had grown close to the little boy, and his room was finally done. He had told them he loved Toy Story and Pokemon. They had decked out his room with both things in abundance, and they knew their son would love it. Leigh had called them the previous day and told them that their paperwork had been approved, and they were now Howie’s foster parents. Kevin started to cry, and AJ had a mega-watt smile on his face. Finally, their dream had come true; they were fathers. Kevin would go by Papa, while AJ would be known as Daddy to their son. They set out for Leigh’s office one last time, the rest of the visits would take place in their home. The couple raced to the office in record speed, and soon signed all the paperwork to become Howie’s foster parents. They asked Leigh where Howie was, and Leigh brought their son out. Both men dropped to their knees and hugged their son. Howie asked what he should call them, and was soon asking his daddy and papa if they could go home. That set off tears in both men’s eyes, and they told him that they would be going home. The men thanked Leigh, and told her she could drop by for a visit whenever, and that both were now off work, AJ for a month, and Kevin for the next three. Leigh said goodbye, and the fathers/son trio soon left for home. 

Howie settled in easily, and Kevin and AJ found themselves using sign language every so often, but Howie started speech therapy, which helped immensely. The two had taken Howie to an audiologist, and learned all about his hearing loss. They learned they would need to find an ENT, because Howie could get frequent ear infections, and the wax could easily build up in his ears, since it had no place to go. They learned the signs of an incoming ear infection, and all about swimmer’s ear, and having to plug Howie’s ears if he ever swam. The two men were a little overwhelmed, but knew that this wouldn’t change their minds about adopting their son. Howie loved both of his fathers, and that love was seen every single day. Leigh came on average every thirty days for a visit, and always left with a smile on her face. The months sped by, with Howie gaining more confidence in himself, and he spoke more than signed now. It was now the night before the final home visit with Leigh, where she would tell Kevin and AJ whether or not they had the approval to adopt Howie in three months. Both men were nervous, but reasonably optimistic that they would get approval. The family of three settled down to watch Howie’s newest favorite movie, Toy Story 2, for the hundredth time, not that Kevin or AJ minded. 

Leigh arrived by 9am the next morning, and after talking with Howie, asked AJ and Kevin to sit at their dining room table. They distracted Howie with Toy Story, and nervously sat across from Leigh. The two men grasped hands, and looked at their social worker. Leigh told the two men that she was giving them approval to adopt one Howard Dwaine Dorough. The men then signed the paperwork that was needed for Leigh to file for the adoption hearing. Both men burst into tears, and thanked Leigh profusely. She told them that the next time that she would see them would be Howie’s adoption day. March 16th 2010, Howard Dwaine Dorough would become Howard Dwaine McLean-Richardson. She went to say goodbye to Howie, and told him to go see his fathers. Howie walked in to see his fathers with tears in their eyes, and Kevin grabbed his son and snuggled him between he and AJ. Leigh popped her head in and said goodbye, and left the family to their celebrations. AJ turned to Kevin and asked if they wanted to make a trip out to New Jersey to see his parents. They had had phone conversations with Robert, Denise, and Mel, but had made no mention of Howie, despite their constant questions about the process. Kevin hadn’t heard from his parents since they had made their choice not to support the adoption, but Kevin wanted to introduce Howie to Robert and Denise. They quickly made plans to go that weekend to Brick to see AJ’s parents. That night, Kevin discussed with AJ about what to do regarding his parents. AJ suggested sending his parents an email, announcing Howie’s adoption date, since they planned to invite Robert and Denise to the adoption party. Kevin decided to do that, and would tell them that they were invited, and could come if they wanted. He honestly didn’t expect anything to come of it, and sent the email the next morning. The trio got ready to go to New Jersey, and would surprise Robert, Denise, and Mel with their grandson and nephew. Howie was a little nervous, but excited to meet his grandparents. 

Late Friday afternoon, the family of three set out for New Jersey. Three hours later, in a scene reminiscent to eight months earlier, they pulled into AJ’s parent’s house, and saw that for once all three were home. He knocked on the door, and Mel answered the door. She immediately noticed Howie, and yelled for her parents, and tackled AJ and Kevin into a hug. Robert and Denise made their way to the living room, and saw Howie being hugged by Mel, after she introduced herself. The couple stopped short at seeing Howie, and looked at their son and son-in-law. AJ nodded his head, and introduced Howie to his parents. Kevin told them that they had just gotten official approval to adopt Howie in three months. He invited Robert, Denise, and Mel to the adoption ceremony, and all three said they would be there. Robert and Denise knelt down to Howie’s level, and introduced themselves as his daddy’s parents. Howie asked if he could call them Poppy and Nana, and Denise burst into tears, as she hugged her grandson. The family spent the weekend together and made lasting memories for Howie. Robert and Denise told Kevin and AJ that they would be making more trips up to Massachusetts now, and the couple heartily agreed, and told them they were welcome anytime. The small family had a tearful goodbye on Sunday afternoon, and Howie cried as they drove away. 

The three months prior to the adoption hearing went by in a blink of an eye. Howie had thrived with his fathers, and it was like he had always been a part of their lives. Kevin and AJ had found a local preschool that Howie went to, and that was the best thing they could have done for him. He struggled a bit in the beginning, but he had soon made friends, and often had little playdates. Kevin and AJ had gone in and done a little “presentation” about Howie’s ears, and why he wore hearing aids, and his classmates understood as much as they could. Thankfully many would be going to kindergarten with him the following year, so they could help Howie out. It was now the night before the hearing, and all three members of the family were excited. AJ and Kevin had a hard time getting Howie to sleep. Between the adoption becoming official, and his Nana, Poppy, and Auntie Mel coming up, Howie was very exuberant. Kevin and AJ finally got their overtired son into bed, and soon crawled into theirs. The exhaustion set in, and they were soon fast asleep. 

It was a very hyper crowd that left the McLean-Richardson home for the courthouse the next morning. Kevin and AJ had dressed in suits, and gotten a smaller version of a mix of theirs for Howie. The three had left with Denise, Robert, and Mel. Their appointment was set for 10AM and Howie would legally be his fathers’ son. They soon got to the courthouse, and met Leigh. Leigh told them that they would meet with the judge, who would ask them, and Howie some questions, and then would make everything legal. They proceeded into the courtroom, where the judge was waiting. Robert, Denise, and Mel went into the visitor’s section, while Kevin, AJ, Howie, and Leigh went up front. Kevin soon realized his parents weren’t going to show, and AJ saw the heartbroken look on his face. It quickly went away, and he refocused on what was happening. The judge asked Leigh if she thought that Kevin and AJ should adopt Howie. Leigh told the judge that she was in complete favor of the men adopting Howie. The judge then turned to AJ and Kevin. He asked if they were ready and willing to adopt Howie. Both men replied in the affirmative. He then turned to Howie and asked if he wanted Kevin and AJ as his fathers. Howie replied that they were already his papa and daddy. The judge smiled, and said that Howard Dwaine Dorough would now and forever be known as Howard Dwaine McLean-Richardson. He banged his gavel, and Kevin and AJ burst into tears and held their son. They quickly signed the final paperwork, and watched as the judge signed his name to the documents. AJ’s parents and Mel came up, and they took a bunch of pictures, and one with the judge as well. Soon the family of three went home to enjoy the rest of the day together. 

Later that night, AJ held his husband as he cried. Kevin was devastated that his parents had chosen not to come to the adoption ceremony. He now knew that his parents had abandoned their only son. Kevin told himself that he wouldn’t try and reach out to them anymore. He had to protect himself, his husband, and his son. They had made their decision, and now had to live with the consequences of it. Kevin vowed to never do what his parents had done to him, to Howie. It took him a while, but he eventually moved on from what his parents had done, and didn’t often think about them anymore. He threw himself into fatherhood, and watched his son thrive. 

Over the next two years, Howie grew rapidly, and excelled in school. He was a very smart little boy, and made strides quickly in speech therapy. His teachers used an FM system that connected straight to his hearing aids, so that he didn’t miss what they were saying. He often had to go to the ENT or audiologist to get new hearing aids, or have his ears drained of wax, which he hated. Kevin and Howie bonded over a love of sports, and Howie soon embraced his papa’s love of football, specifically the Kansas City Chiefs. AJ passed along his love of cooking to his son. Kevin often found the two of them baking or making a new recipe together. Other times the three of them would watch movies together, or played at the park. Howie was a very loved little boy, and by the time he turned six, Howie had moved on and come to terms with his past, with the help of a therapist, and talking to his dads.  The three enjoyed their life, but Kevin and AJ began wondering if there was another child out there for them to adopt. They pondered starting the adoption process again, but something Howie said to them totally shocked them, and pushed them to adopt a second child. The family of three would soon become a family of four, and Kevin and AJ couldn’t wait to see what happened to their family next. 


	3. Expanding Their Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been two years since Howie was adopted, and Kevin and AJ decide it's the perfect time to add to their family. Read on as the couple finds their son, and helps him get through one of the toughest periods of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well Chapter 3 is done, and Chapter 4 will be coming soon. Loving writing this, and thank you all for the hits and kudos. I appreciate it more than you know :)

It had been two years since Howie joined their family, and Kevin and AJ started having thoughts of expanding their family again. One day when Howie got home from school, he told his fathers that he had something to ask. AJ and Kevin looked at each other, and told Howie that he could ask them anything. As the three sat at the dining room table, so they could work on Howie’s homework, he bluntly asked if he could have a brother. AJ and Kevin told Howie that they would work on it, and to be patient with them. 

A few weeks later, Kevin and AJ made their way to Leigh’s office. The social worker greeted them warmly, and they sat down to discuss the couple’s second adoption. The two men told Leigh their preferences for a second child. Leigh thought for a moment, and went to grab a particular box that not all prospective parents saw. She came back with it in her hands, and AJ took the box from her. He noted that it was lighter than the boxes they had been given when they had chosen Howie. Leigh saw the question on his face, and said that these children had been in the system for a long time, and had medical issues that had come up during their stay in their foster or group homes. The children also fit their preferences. Kevin and AJ looked at each other with sadness in their eyes. Leigh told the pair of them that there were only about eighteen files in the box, and that when they had made their decision, to come back and tell her which one they had chosen. The couple thanked her, and after showing her an updated picture of Howie, the two men left, with the file box in Kevin’s hands. 

After putting Howie to bed that night, AJ brought out the box, and Kevin and he started looking through the files. Similar to what they had done with Howie, they made three piles each, and swapped files every so often. By the end of the night, they only had three files in their yes column.  They agreed on them all, but Kevin preferred one child, while AJ preferred another. The two men agreed to come back to the conversation and left the files on the table and went to sleep. The next morning the couple woke up and stumbled down the stairs to see their son eating breakfast. They noticed that he had opened the three files they had left on the table, and asked Howie what he was doing. Howie told his fathers that he was picking out his sibling. He picked up the file for the child neither man had a hard preference for. The two opened the file and read it again. 

The child’s name was Nickolas (Nick) Gene Carter, and he was twelve years old. He had been in his current foster care home for about three years.  Nick had been in about eight different foster care homes in the last ten years, after his parent’s had been arrested for money laundering, and other severe financial crimes, and he had been sent to foster care at the age of two. AJ and Kevin looked at Howie and asked why he had picked this file. Howie told them that he wanted an older brother to protect him, and Nick was the oldest of the three.

 The file detailed that Nick had recently been diagnosed with scoliosis, which meant his spine was starting to curve in an odd shape. It was a mild case now, but without close monitoring, it could become an issue quickly. The home he was in now, had no car, so it was difficult to take Nick to the appointments he needed. His foster family had notified Leigh that he would need to find a new home soon. AJ and Kevin looked at each other, and had a silent conversation. They looked back at their son, and asked if he really wanted Nick to be his big brother. Howie nodded his head, and told his fathers that he wanted a big brother, and Nick would be a good one. AJ and Kevin told Howie that they would try to foster Nick. AJ called Leigh and made an appointment for the next day, telling her they had found their second son. 

Less than 24 hours later, Kevin, AJ, and Leigh were meeting again. AJ gave the box of files back, while Kevin gave Leigh Nick’s file. Leigh opened it and was slightly shocked that the couple had picked Nick, but knew that Nick would have his forever home with the men and Howie. Leigh told the men that since they had filled the paperwork out for Howie less than five years ago, they didn’t need to do it a second time, but just two pages as an update to their situation now. Both men were relieved, and quickly filled out the paperwork. Leigh then told them that she would get in contact with Nick’s current foster home, and set up a meeting for the couple and Howie to meet Nick. The two men thanked Leigh and left the office, returning to their jobs, and spending that night with Howie. 

A week later, Leigh called AJ and told him that Nick would be in her office for a meeting the next day. He told her that he, Kevin, and Howie would be there to meet their son. When Kevin got home from work, AJ spilled the beans, and Kevin’s eyes lit up in happiness. Both men were excited to meet their oldest son the next day. They spent the night having a movie night and cuddling Howie. The next day dawned early, and the three made their way to Leigh’s office. They met Leigh in her office, and after Leigh gushed over Howie, she led the three to the familiar room where AJ and Kevin had first met Howie.

The door opened, and Nick turned around. He saw three people, two men and a little boy. The little boy came over and introduced himself as Howie, and said that the two men were his fathers. The man with the long black hair introduced himself as Kevin, while the one with all the tattoos introduced himself as AJ. Nick was skeptical, he had never been with a same sex couple before. He watched as Howie called the two men Daddy and Papa, and a longing voice in his head told him that he might be able to do that too. He squashed that thought down violently, and smiled at the two men. They started asking Nick questions, and got to know him. Nick thought that Kevin was pretty smart, and AJ was pretty funny. He asked the two men why they wanted to meet him. Their answer shocked him, and he didn’t know how to react to it.

 Kevin looked at Nick and told him that they wanted to become his foster parents, and eventually adopt him. He saw Nick look at him disbelievingly. He could tell that the child had been through a lot in the last ten years, and hoped to ease his traumas as he grew up with them. AJ cut in and told Nick that it was his decision if he wanted to come home with them, and he would be okay if Nick decided on another family. Nick sat and thought for a while. He knew that his current foster family couldn’t take care of him anymore, and the thought of being a big brother intrigued him. He felt safe around Kevin and AJ, and could tell that they were sincere in their want to eventually adopt him. Nick decided to follow his heart, and told the couple that he wanted to come home with them. 

Kevin and AJ’s faces lit up, and they asked if they could hug Nick, who nodded his head. At twelve years old, Nick almost reached AJ in height. Nick had blonde hair and blue eyes, and as Kevin looked at his face closely, could see all the pain and heartache Nick had gone through in those blue eyes. He so wanted to erase the look in Nick’s eyes, but he knew only time and good care could do that. The now group of four turned to Leigh who gave the last paperwork to AJ, who quickly signed it, and told the family that Nick was their foster son, and she would be making the same visits over the next six months that she had with Howie. 

They soon made their way home, and Nick started to settle in. Kevin and AJ made several appointments for Nick, and learned that his scoliosis had worsened, and he was borderline needing surgery at this point. The doctor wanted to try a back brace for two months and take another x-ray after that. Nick was still leery about fully embracing being part of this family, and it was very noticeable to Kevin and AJ. They just did what they could to help Nick out, and told him he could go to them for anything. 

At his next appointment, Nick’s doctor told the three of them that the back brace hadn’t helped and Nick needed two titanium rods screwed into his spine to keep it straight. Nick looked at the men who he had been looking at as his fathers terrified. Kevin quickly soothed him, and asked the doctor what would happen during the surgery. The doctor explained that he would do a foot-long incision and manipulate Nick’s spine to be straight, and then screw in the rods on either side. He would be in the hospital for a week, and be out of school for six to eight weeks. Nick knew he had to have the surgery to relieve all the chest pain and back pain he had been experiencing the last two months. The doctor set the surgery up for two weeks from then. 

The next two weeks were filled with pre-op appointments, and Kevin and AJ called Leigh to explain the situation. She consulted his doctors, and told them that they had clearance to do the surgery. The night before the surgery, Nick approached Kevin and AJ and asked if he could cuddle with them to fall asleep. The couple agreed, and held their oldest son in their arms as he slept. Both men were extremely worried about the surgery, not really sleeping. They woke up early and headed to the hospital.

The hours sped by, and soon Nick was in surgery, with AJ and Kevin nervously waiting in the waiting room. Robert, Denise and Mel had joined them, having learned about Nick soon after the couple started fostering him. Mel had gone through the same thing at the same age, but hers was able to be corrected with just the brace. She felt a kinship with her nephew for that reason. The hours dragged by, and eight hours after the surgery started, Kevin and AJ saw Nick’s surgeon come in with a smile on his face. Kevin started crying out of relief, and AJ held his husband as they learned their son was in recovery, and would soon be moved to his room for the next week. They all thanked the man, and soon Kevin and AJ saw their son and thanked every deity out there that he was okay. 

The next week in the hospital was very hard for Nick. He was in a lot of pain, and walking was a struggle to start with. He had had to lay flat on his back for 24 hours after the surgery, and it was two days before he got solid food. Nick had been on morphine to start, and slept a lot. The hardest part was when they changed the bandages every day. His skin soon became so raw from the tape, that he cried through every change. Kevin held him in his arms during each change, and AJ spoke nonsense in his ears to distract him. His fathers were both there for him every single day. Robert and Denise watched Howie so that AJ and Kevin could focus on Nick. Watching his fathers take care of him was a turning point for Nick. He now knew that he saw Kevin and AJ as his fathers, and wanted to be a part of this family, to be a McLean-Richardson. Nick soon improved enough to be released from the hospital, and spend the next two months recovering. 

While Nick was recovering, he spent a lot of time with Howie, and got to know his little brother very well. The duo spent a lot of time playing board games and video games together. Nick was also into football, but he loved the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so Howie asked him to teach him about them as well. The two may have been six years apart in age, but they were rapidly becoming extremely close. Nick had been taught about his brother’s hearing impairment, and was fiercely defensive of him. Howie learned that he had to be careful with playing physical games with Nick, since he still had back pain, which would come and go his entire life. The duo were thick as thieves, and Kevin and AJ loved seeing their relationship develop. 

Nick recovered faster than expected, and was soon back to normal activities. Life went on, and Leigh eventually came for her last visit. She asked Nick if he wanted to be adopted by Kevin and AJ, and Nick told her that he wanted it more than anything in his life. Leigh gently smiled at him, and told him that he was getting adopted by an amazing family, and Nick told her that he knew that. Leigh went to the couple and told them that they had her approval to adopt Nick. Kevin and AJ swept their son into a hug, and tears were shed. The next three months until the adoption went by quickly, and Nick was extremely happy with his decision. 

November 27th 2013 dawned bright and early. Today was the day Nickolas Gene Carter would become Nickolas Gene McLean-Richardson. Robert, Denise, and Mel had come up from New Jersey, and the group of seven made their way to the courthouse. Two hours later, AJ and Kevin had officially adopted their oldest son. Nick fell into his fathers’ arms and cried like he never had before. He finally belonged somewhere. Kevin and AJ just held their son, and felt Howie weasel his way into his brother’s arms. The family of four shared a much needed hug, and they set out to enjoy life as a family of four. 


	4. Completing Their Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AJ and Kevin adopt for a final time, but this one was a total surprise. Read on as they complete their family, and move on to the next part of their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well Chapter 4 is here! Chapter 5 will be out tomorrow or Monday. Thank you all for the hits and kudos on this story. This story is very special to me for a variety of reasons. Thank you all for the support, it does not go unnoticed. :)

Two years later, Nick was fourteen, Howie was eight, and Kevin and AJ were enjoying life with their sons. After going through the adoption process twice, Kevin and AJ thought that their family was complete. They had two sons who were the apples of their eyes. The two men had good jobs, and were very content with their lifestyle. Little did they know; their idyllic life would soon be turned upside down for the third time. 

 One day AJ received a call from Leigh, who told AJ that she urgently needed someone to temporarily foster a three-month-old little boy who had some pretty severe medical issues. AJ told Leigh that they had never requested to be emergency foster parents, much less to an infant. Leigh said that she knew that, but had no one else that could possibly do it. She told him a few things about the infant, and what his medical issues were.  AJ told her he would have to talk to Kevin, and could give her no guarantees. Leigh thanked him, and they hung up. 

AJ could feel a headache developing as he wondered how this conversation would go with Kevin. He still remembered when Kevin had told him about what happened during his childhood, which is why they had never fostered an infant. He waited until Nick and Howie went to bed, and told Kevin that he needed to talk to him. Kevin could tell something was off, and was on immediate alert. AJ began explaining the phone call that he received from Leigh, and about the baby and his issues. After he explained everything he waited on bated breath for Kevin’s response. 

Kevin didn’t know what to think. On one hand, he had been thinking about adopting a third time, but he wasn’t sure if he could take having an infant. On the other hand, he kind of wanted to experience having a baby, and felt that although this little one’s issues were pretty severe, they could handle it. As he looked at AJ, he could tell that AJ also wanted a baby to love on, and experience all the milestones they had missed with their sons. He took a deep breath and told AJ that if they fostered this infant, they would be adopting him no questions asked. Kevin would not be able to hand the baby back. AJ agreed with his husband, and told him that he would call Leigh back first thing in the morning. 

The next morning, AJ called Leigh, and told her that they would foster the baby. Leigh breathed a sigh of relief, and told him that she would drop off his file, before bringing him over later that day. Two hours later, AJ and Kevin got their youngest son’s file. The baby’s name was Brian Thomas Littrell. He was three months old, and had been abandoned soon after his birth, because he had been diagnosed with a cleft lip and cleft palate. This diagnosis meant that his upper lip was split in half, and so was the soft palate on the roof of his mouth. He had to use a special bottle called the Haberman, to eat. It had a longer nipple that bypassed the gap in his palate. 

This had all happened so fast that AJ and Kevin had neglected to tell their sons that a baby was coming into their lives. Kevin pulled the boys out of school, and took them to lunch, and told them about Brian, and that he and AJ had been asked to take care of him. The two boys looked at each other, and both asked about the baby, and what his special needs were. Kevin looked at his sons with pride, and told them all about Brian’s issues and showed them pictures of what he may look like. He could tell there was some jealousy in Nick’s eyes, but he didn’t outwardly show it. Nick himself was second guessing his place in the family, since he would now be a big brother again, this time to a baby. Howie was just excited about being a big brother. The three soon made their way home to wait for Leigh to come.

Three hours later, Leigh knocked on the door. AJ answered it, and got the first look at the baby. Brian had wisps of blonde hair on his head, and his eyes were a similar blue to Nick’s. The baby looked to be well cared for, and AJ immediately noticed the gap in his lip. Brian had been diagnosed with a unilateral cleft lip on the left side of his lip. He reached out for Brian, who went willingly into his arms. He turned around, and his husband and sons got their first look at their son and brother. AJ could see Kevin’s heart melt at the first sight of the baby, and he got tears in his eyes. Both boys smiled, but Nick’s did not reach his eyes. Kevin had told AJ what he had noticed while they were out to lunch, and AJ hoped that Nick could accept the baby soon. 

 The men signed the paperwork to foster Brian, and Leigh left them with the same instructions as the previous two times, that she would come around for visits approximately every thirty days. Kevin and AJ told her that she would not have to find a permanent foster home for Brian, because their home would be his. Leigh told them that she knew that, and that is why she called AJ.  She taught Kevin and AJ how to feed Brian, and told them about his upcoming appointments. The couple realized that they would be spending a lot more time at the hospital, but that did not deter them from fostering Brian. 

One month after Brian came into their lives, Kevin was at work, and AJ had his hands full with an upset Howie. Brian started crying for food, and AJ desperately asked Nick to feed his brother. Nick had been standoffish with Brian, and really paid him no attention. Nick sighed, and reluctantly got the bottle ready to feed his brother. He picked up Brian and settled him into his arms. As he fed Brian, he really looked at the baby. All of a sudden, the fierce protectiveness that Nick had for Howie, he now felt for Brian. Nick knew how cruel the world could be and knew that Brian would have noticeable scars, which would be targets for bullies.

 Nick had done his own research on cleft lips and palates, and knew Brian could have speech issues, and would probably have multiple surgeries. He also had a gut feeling that Brian would be a sensitive boy, and needed his two big brothers to protect him. He finally let go of his jealousy, and snuggled his brother after burping him. Nick grabbed a baby book, and read it to Brian. AJ had finally calmed Howie down, and walked in on Nick reading to Brian, and he stopped short. He grabbed his phone and took a picture and immediately sent to Kevin. Both men breathed sighs of relief that their oldest had finally accepted their youngest. 

The next month sped by, and it was finally time for Brian’s first surgery, which would repair his cleft lip. AJ’s parents came up to watch Nick and Howie, while Brian, AJ and Kevin made their way to the hospital. This surgery would close the gap in Brian’s lip, and help with his feeding. He would be in the hospital for two days afterward, and about nine months later, the surgeon would go back to repair the cleft in his palate. Brian made it through the surgery very well, and AJ and Kevin took him home three days later. Brian would have a small scar underneath his nose, and may have some dead nerves in the area, making it hard to tell when his nose is running. 

It had been four months since the surgery, and Brian was thriving. It was soon time for Leigh’s last visit, and Brian was nine months old. Leigh could see how well Brian was doing, and immediately told Kevin and AJ that they had her approval to adopt Brian. Brian was crawling, standing and mimicking sounds. He was almost walking, and AJ had a bet that he would say his first words within the next month. They made his adoption ceremony for the same day as his first birthday, February 20, 2016. They would celebrate his adoption in the morning, and throw a party for both events that night. 

Over the next three months, Brian started walking, and his first words were Papa and Dada, which made both Kevin and AJ shed tears. Brian’s favorite game was to walk between his brothers, and get tickled by them when he got near. Howie and Nick loved their baby brother, and included him in everything as much as they could. Nick’s favorite time was at night, he would give Brian his nighttime bottle, read him stories, and the two would snuggle until Brian fell asleep. Howie loved to play chase with Brian, and they often built little tracks, and raced cars, well once Brian stopped putting the cars in his mouth. Kevin and AJ were extremely happy with their decision to adopt Brian, and were grateful for the opportunity to raise an infant into adulthood.

February 20th dawned early, and AJ and Kevin woke Brian up with a birthday song, which Howie and Nick joined in on. The family of five, with AJ’s parents and Mel, made their way to the courthouse for the last time. When Leigh was there for Brian’s last visit, AJ and Kevin told her that they were done adopting, and to close their file. Leigh did just that, and Kevin and AJ breathed a sigh of relief. Three boys were a handful, and the couple had reached their limit. Two hours later, Brian Thomas Littrell was renamed Brian Thomas McLean-Richardson. The family of five celebrated their youngest son’s birthday and adoption, and got ready for his big surgery to repair his palate.

Shortly after Brian turned fifteen months old, he underwent surgery to repair his cleft palate. The surgeon would go in and close the gap between his soft palate, which would ease most of his issues. Brian would still have to see an ENT, dentist, and eventually an orthodontist as well. The cleft lip and palate would cause all sorts of dental issues, but they would be treated when he got older.  Brian’s surgery was a success, and soon he was running all over the house, and giving his fathers’ grey hairs. 

After 11 years of marriage, Kevin and AJ McLean-Richardson had three wonderful sons, amazing jobs, close family and friends, and a deep love for one another that had never faded. They were done expanding their family, and had settled into the next part of their lives, raising their sons. As the two men were going to bed one night, AJ gave Kevin a look that took his breath away. The spark was still there, and they were as happy as they had been eleven years earlier when they had taken their marriage vows. As Kevin spooned AJ, something that was second nature for them now, they reminisced on the last fifteen years since they had started dating, and both fell asleep with smiles on their faces as they prepared for another day of raising their sons. 


	5. Snippets of the McLean-Richardson Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Random snippets throughout the years after the adoptions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, this story has come to an end. I have so loved writing this story, and it means the world to me to get the reaction I have from it. Thank you for all of your support with my writing. I will be back soon with another story :)

Nick’s First Time Driving

Nick was sixteen and recently had gotten his permit. Kevin told him he would teach him to drive, and Nick was apprehensive about that. He would have preferred AJ, but Kevin had the time to teach him since AJ was now running his own restaurant. The first lesson did not go well, Kevin was too hard on Nick, and Nick was nearly in tears by the end of it. The next lesson, Kevin eased up, and Nick absorbed what he was telling him a little better, and Nick had a more successful time. It took about three months with staggered lessons, but eventually Nick was driving, which made Kevin and AJ happy and nervous about the other drivers on the road with their son. Nick eventually drove himself to school each day, and enjoyed the freedom driving gave him. Kevin eventually apologized for going too hard on him in the beginning, and Nick treated his dad to some ice cream after he got his license a year later. 

Howie’s First Kiss

At age fourteen, Howie had grown up to be a good-looking young man. He often had girls hanging off of him, and had recently asked his best friend Emily to be his girlfriend. He had asked his fathers if he could take Emily to the movies, and they said yes, with AJ staying in the way back of the theater to keep an eye on them. The new couple enjoyed the movie, and after it ended, AJ drove them back to Emily’s house to drop her off. Howie took her up to her front door, and thanked her for coming. He then screwed up his courage, and gently lent down and placed a featherlight kiss on her lips.  Both pulled away, blushing. They said goodbye, and promised to text each other that night. Howie walked back to AJ’s car with a goofy smile on his face, and AJ immediately knew what happened and was proud of his middle son.

Kevin and AJ’s 25th Anniversary

The date was May 8, 2030, and 25 years earlier, AJ and Kevin exchanged their wedding vows. Their sons were now 14, 22, and 28 years old. Nick had graduated college and held a full-time job, and Howie was a senior in college, and had recently accepted a full-time job. Brian was a freshman in high school, and Kevin and AJ couldn’t be prouder of their sons. The two of them had recently retired from their jobs, and were happy continuing to raise Brian. Their sons threw them a giant anniversary surprise dinner at the couple’s favorite restaurant. The two made plans to go a large trip after Brian graduated high school, and spent the night reminiscing about their sons’ childhoods, and what they had accomplished. The two made love that night, and spooned each other as they fell asleep. 

Brian’s First Day of Kindergarten

Brian had turned the big five years old five months ago, and now it was time for him to go to Kindergarten. He woke up that morning at 5am and shook his fathers awake. He was so excited to start school like his brothers. Kevin looked at the alarm clock, and pulled Brian into bed with him and AJ and told him to go back to sleep. After being kicked in the shins for an hour, Kevin got out of bed with a very hyper Brian. Howie and Nick stumbled out of bed for their first days of school, and couldn’t help but smile at their younger brother. Kevin woke his husband up as Brian ate breakfast. The three said goodbye to Howie and Nick, and made their way to the local elementary school. As soon as Brian saw his classroom, and realized that his fathers were leaving, he told them that he wanted to go home. His teacher came out and coaxed him into coloring a picture. Kevin and AJ left after saying goodbye, with Kevin not even making it to the car before shedding tears. Six hours later, Brian announced that he loved school, and wanted to go forever. Kevin and AJ rolled their eyes at each other, knowing that would change in about five years time. Their youngest son had finally started school, and it was time for another phase in their lives. 

Nick Proposes to His Love

Nick had been with his girlfriend for more than four years, and had decided to propose to her. The two had met at a work event, and Heather was just two years younger than Nick. They had gotten close quickly, and already lived together. AJ and Kevin loved Heather as well, and kept dropping hints to Nick that he should propose. Nick had decided to propose to Heather at the park where they had their first date all those years ago. He had had her ring for the last three months, and knew she would say yes. He told her to dress warm, and casual. They went to dinner, and then took a stroll in the park, to enjoy the cool fall air. When they had gotten to a particular spot on the path, Nick tugged at Heather’s hand to get her to turn around. When she did, Nick was on one knee, and Heather gasped in shock. As Nick was speaking, Heather just kept shaking her head, and when Nick asked if she would marry him, all she could whisper was “yes!”. Nick got up and gave her a searing kiss as he put the ring on her finger. The two finished their walk, and went home to tell their families to get ready for a wedding! 

Howie Graduates from College

May 17th was another important milestone in the McLean-Richardson family. Today was the day Howie was graduating college with a degree in Business Administration. He had already accepted a full-time position with a financial management firm, and would start soon after graduation. Nick and Heather came up from Rhode Island, where they had settled down to start their family, and Brian came with their parents. Howie was extremely nervous, and AJ pulled him aside to talk. Kevin just watched his husband calm their son with a smile on his face. He was so proud of Howie, who had overcome a lot while he was in school to get to where he is now. AJ was equally as proud, and told Howie so. Howie slowly calmed down, and got his cap and gown on. An hour later, the McLean-Richardson family watched as Howie walked across the stage to get his diploma. The group, which also included Robert, Denise, and Mel, cheered and clapped for their son/grandson/brother/nephew. A recent addition to the family was Howie’s boyfriend Drew, who attended the same college, and would also be graduating that day. The crew went out to dinner that night to celebrate Howie’s achievement, and new job. Drew and Howie shared a kiss to end the night, and Howie went to bed curled around Drew, feeling a sense of accomplishment. 

Brian’s 18th Birthday

The date was February 20, 2033, and it was Brian’s 18th birthday. He was a senior in high school and would graduate in a few months. He had had a steady girlfriend for the last year, and was at the top of his class. He had recently been accepted to his parent’s Alma Mater, Johnson and Wales University, would follow in his father’s footsteps, and get a culinary degree. AJ had taught Brian everything he knew, and Brian took to it like a duck to water. He loved being in the kitchen with his father. Kevin and AJ woke up that morning with a sad smile on their faces. All of their sons were now legal adults, and the house would be empty in a few months. Luckily, Nick and Heather had recently announced they were expecting their first child, so the home wouldn’t be empty for long. The couple were so proud of their sons, and were proud of themselves for raising three amazing people that would do good in the world. Brian went to school, and celebrated with his friends. That night, Kevin and AJ threw their son a surprise party, and Brian enjoyed every second of it. He ended the night with giving his fathers a big hug, and thanked them for everything they had done over the last eighteen years. Kevin and AJ just held their son in their arms, and sent thanks to every deity out there that they had survived raising three boys. 

Kevin and AJ’s First Grandchild

The couple had been retired for a few years, and their sons were now all over the age of 20, and Howie and Nick were married with their better halves. Nick and his wife Heather were expecting their first child, and poor Heather was due any day now. The day after her due date, Heather and Nick made a trip to see Kevin and AJ, which the couple was excited about. As the four were talking about random things, Kevin noticed that Heather would wince every so often. He grabbed his son and told him that he thought Heather was in labor. Nick went to his wife, and asked if she was okay. Heather replied that she thought it was time. Nick started panicking, and AJ pulled him aside to calm him down. All of a sudden, there was a big pop, and the living room floor was soaking wet. Kevin told Nick to start the car, and he and AJ would make sure Heather got cleaned up, and out to the car. Ten minutes later, the four were on their way to the hospital. Kevin and AJ called Howie and Brian, and they all waited in the waiting room for hours. Twelve hours later, Nick came out to the room with a bundle with a pink cap in his arms. He introduced his dads to their granddaughter, Cassidy Hope McLean-Richardson. Kevin took the precious bundle in his arms, and he and his husband just gazed at the infant with tears in their eyes. This is what they had waited so long for, for their family to expand even further. Nick just hugged his fathers and said “I know”. The family celebrated the new arrivals, and all was well in the McLean-Richardson family. 


End file.
